unit test and mocking startpage

Mohammad Mirza

Vote:

I'm trying to make some unit tests to an episerver website.

I need to mock the startpage since it is being used in a service layer like this:

var contentLoader = ServiceLocator.Current.GetInstance();

var startPage = contentLoader.Get(ContentReference.StartPage);

In the unit test I have managed to mock the IContentLoader (and IContentRepository) however mocking the startpage is causing problems.

I'm mocking the startpage like this:

SiteDefinition.Current = new SiteDefinition()

{

StartPage = new PageReference(1928)

};

(the number is the id of the startpage.)

This works only to a certain degree. The problem is that when I run the unit test and when the unit test process gets to below code in the service layer

var contentLoader = ServiceLocator.Current.GetInstance();

var startPage = contentLoader.Get(ContentReference.StartPage);

...then var startPage is null (eventhough startpage is recognized by its id).

However if I debug the website in a normal way, (that is not running a unit test) then var startPage is initialized.

Its like the contentLoader.Get only return the startpage when running in a browser, and not in a unit test.

hope it makes sense.

Sincerely

Mohammad

#144294

Feb 10, 2016 16:08

Per Gunsarfs

Vote:

Modifying the SiteDefinition will only change the ContentReference you get from ContentReference.StartPage. contentLoader.Get<AnyContentType> will just return whatever content the specified ContentReference points to. Since this is a unit test where you are mocking the content loader you would have to setup .Get<StartPage> explictly to return the expected value. If you don't do that your the mock will return null by default (depending on the mocking framework I assume).

Regards

Per Gunsarfs

#144300

Feb 10, 2016 17:04

Mohammad Mirza

Vote:

Hi Per

Thanks for your quick reply.

I have already tried going that route, however it cause problem with setting the value of the id (1928)

if I try below code in the unit test class

var mockContentRepsitoryStartPage = new Mock<IContentRepository>();

    mockContentRepsitoryStartPage.Setup(r => r.Get<StartPage>(ContentReference.StartPage)).Returns(new StartPage { });
 
var mockLocatorStartPage = new Mock<IServiceLocator>();
    mockLocatorStartPage.Setup(i => i.GetInstance<IContentRepository>()).Returns(mockContentRepsitoryStartPage.Object);
 
ServiceLocator.SetLocator(mockLocatorStartPage.Object);
 
var startPage = ServiceLocator.Current.GetInstance<IContentRepository>().Get<StartPage>(ContentReference.StartPage);
startPage.SettingsPageReference.ID = 1928;

then when running the unit test I get an error saying:'System.NullReferenceException' 
the SettingsPageReference is null. 
so Im kinda running around in circles.

#144310

Feb 10, 2016 18:12

Daniel Ovaska

Vote:

You are creating an empty Start Page in first line of code. Try adding some more info there...

#144314

Feb 10, 2016 18:25

Per Gunsarfs

Vote:

Yes, Daniel is correct. Or you could also change

startPage.SettingsPageReference.ID = 1928;

to

startPage.SettingsPageReference = new ContentReference(1928);

#144337

Edited, Feb 11, 2016 8:48

Mohammad Mirza

Vote:

@Per

Well I tried some more going the direction you pointed out. And finally I got it working

For those in same situation in the future; The final code that makes it work in the unit test goes like this:

var mockContentLoaderStartPage = new Mock<IContentLoader>();
    mockContentLoaderStartPage.Setup(r => r.Get<StartPage>(ContentReference.StartPage)).Returns(new StartPage { });
 
var mockLocatorStartPage = new Mock<IServiceLocator>();
    mockLocatorStartPage.Setup(i => i.GetInstance<IContentLoader>()).Returns(mockContentLoaderStartPage.Object);
 
ServiceLocator.SetLocator(mockLocatorStartPage.Object);
var startPage = ServiceLocator.Current.GetInstance<IContentLoader>().Get<StartPage>(ContentReference.StartPage);
startPage.SettingsPageReference = new PageReference(1928); //id is the id of the startpage

Thanks a lot Per

NB: @Daniel, thanks for your input, however Per's solution directed me to the answer.

#144341

Feb 11, 2016 9:11

Daniel Ovaska

Vote:

mockContentLoaderStartPage.Setup(r => r.Get<StartPage>(ContentReference.StartPage)).Returns(new StartPage {SettingsPageReference = new PageReference(1928) });

or similar yes. Fill out the properties you need when you set up the mocked object. Nice that you got it working :)

#144344

Feb 11, 2016 9:33

Mohammad Mirza

Vote:

Hi Daniel

Thanks for the nice write-up :)

#144355

Feb 11, 2016 13:14

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unit test and mocking startpage